Roll of Honor

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Patrolman

David Daniel Dragan, Sr.

Exeter Township Police Department — Reading, PA

Cardiac Veteran

End of Watch July 12, 1976

Age 39

Tour of Duty 10 mo

The Vigil Panel 117 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Patrolman David Dragan suffered a fatal heart attack while attempting to arrest a drunk driving suspect following a high-speed pursuit that had started in Mt. Penn. The vehicle came to a stop on Route 73, in Exeter Township, and the man was taken into custody following a struggle. Patrolman Dragan collapsed at the scene. Other officers initiated CPR until he was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital. He was pronounced dead approximately one hour later. Patrolman Dragan was a National Guard veteran. He had served with the Exeter Township Police Department for ten months and had previously served with the Mt. Penn Borough Police Department.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, five children, grandchild, and three siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-A9052074
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Dragan served with the Exeter Township Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Reading community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Exeter Township Police Department

Location Reading, PA

Platform Identity etpd.berks.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 12, 1976

Tour of Duty 10 mo

Age 39

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Weapon Person

Offender Not available

Military Service

David Daniel Dragan, Sr. served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman David Daniel Dragan, Sr. is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In PA, 118 of 1,261 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 9.4% of this state's fallen. That is 5.4 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

Exeter Township Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Cardiac

PA — Statewide

118

of 1,261 officers

9.4% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac

National Cause Distribution

How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. David Daniel Dragan, Sr.'s cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How David Daniel Dragan, Sr. Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Cardiac: 48.6 years

Years of Service

0.8